Nakada Emerges Unscathed in Manila

Sunday, June 13, 2010

A ground-breaking Grand Prix–Manila has come to a close, with Japan’s Naoki Nakada the last man standing! After shattering the regional record of 647 with an astounding 1071 players in attendance, we witnessed an exciting crowd-pleaser of a final, with Taufic Indrakesuma getting Emrakul, the Aeons Torn into play in all three games, but still losing to Nakada’s Mythic Conscription deck in a nail-bitter of a match. The Top 8 featured six different deck archetypes - none of this 6 Jund nonsense we had in Kuala Lumpur - two Mythic, a Polymorph deck, Next Level Bant, Vengevine Naya, two Jund and a Grixis deck squared off for the title. In the lead up to the Top 8, the top tables became a brawl, with two of the day one undefeated players, Brian Kibler and Kazuya Mitamura (at least he’s broken his three GP losing streak!) missing the Top 8. The Grand Prix circuit takes a breather over the next month or so, as we dive head first into National Championships season.

Takahashi won the dice roll but quickly sent his opening 7 for a fresh 6, while Indrakesuma kept his opening hand. Takahashi led off the match with a Putrid Leech while Indrakesuma spent his time setting up his combo with a Halimar Depths and a Khalni Garden. Takahashi attempted to take 4 off Indrakesuma as he gave his Putrid Leech +2/+2 but it was returned into his hand by Indrakesuma's Into the Roil, forcing Takahashi to re-summon it.

Indrakesuma had a second Jace however, and after another virtual Brainstorm, he played a Khalni Garden that gave him another Plant token. Takahashi killed off the Plant with a Maelstrom Pulse this time, and once again, killed Indrakesuma's Jace with a pumped Putrid Leech while the second Putrid Leech was also pumped to take 4 off Indrakesuma.

A 3rd Khalni Garden however, spelled doom for Takahashi as Indrakesuma cast Polymorph on his Plant token, which brought in an Emrakul, the Aeons Torn into the battlefield, and all Takahashi could do was scoop up his cards and start side-boarding.

Indrakesuma 1 – Takahashi 0

Takahashi quickly chose to keep his opening 7 while Indrakesuma had to take a mulligan. Takahashi went first but Indrakesuma got the game going with a Ponder as he chose to shuffle his library before drawing from the spell. A second turn Duress from Takahashi revealed Indrakesuma's hand of

Takahashi forced Indrakesuma to discard his Awakening Zone while a second Duress the turn after revealed a freshly drawn Deprive in addition to the cards before, with the Deprive being the card discarded this time.

Indrakesuma then cast a top-decked Awakening Zone, which drew a cringe from Takahashi. After considering his options Takahashi cast a Mind Rot, which forced Indrakesuma to discard 2 copies of his Into the Roil and played a land that entered the battlefield tapped, which left him with no untapped mana sources. Knowing that there's nothing Takahashi could do to stop his combo, Indrakesuma could only grin widely as he showed Takahashi the Polymorph he just drew off the top of the deck that forced Takahashi to scoop up his cards in clear frustration.

Indrakesuma 2 – Takahashi 0

Quarterfinals: Yuchen Liu vs Yuuya Watanabe

by Ray "blisterguy" Walkinshaw

Yuchen Liu finished the swiss rounds in first place, but Yuuya Watanabe scraped in at 8th after Xue Tong Due and Jan Ruess drew themselves out of contention.

Liu put up little resistance in the early game, as Watanabe summoned multiple Walls of Omens and got the beats started with a Noble Hierarch powered Vengevine. Turn four heralded the start of Liu's game, a Lightning Bolt cascading off of a Bloodbraid Elf, and zapping the Hierarch. Watanabe merely summoned a replacement, and sent the Vengevine in past the Elf, dropping Liu to 9, before summoning a Scute Mob. Bituminous Blast took care of the Mob, coming with a free set of steak knives (carried by a Putrid Leech). The Leech traded with the Vengevine, but another Hierarch and a Birds of Paradise had it right back where it belonged – on the Vengabus. Liu summoned a Siege-Gang Commander, throwing one of the accompanying Goblins under the next pass of the 'bus.

A Maelstrom Pulse cleared out Watanabe's Walls, and suddenly Liu was in the red zone with everyone but a lonely Goblin Token, dropping Watanabe to 14 and summoning a Sprouting Thrinax. Watanabe exiled the Thrinax with an Oblivion Ring, and summoned a second Vengevine (plenty o' room on the 'bus!) Liu dropping to 3 and losing the lonely Goblin. Liu attacked back with his Elf and the Commander, getting in for 2 as a Hierarch chump-blocked the Elf. He then summoned a Putrid Leech to keep his last Goblin Token company on defense. Watanabe kicked a Sphinx of Lost Truths, and sent in the Vengabus. The Leech traded, and the Goblin died, leaving Liu on 1 life. Liu cast Sarkhan the Mad, but the resulting Dragon Token was sent on a Path to Exile. Liu frowned at the Sphinx, and scooped up his cards.

Watanabe 1 – Liu 0

Liu Bolted a Hierarch, and Bloodbraided into a Putrid Leech in game two, putting Watanabe on the defensive early. Oblivion Ring exiled the Leech, and a Path to Exile socked a Siege-Gang Commander, right in the kisser. Another Path took out the Elf, but the residual Goblins managed to beat Watanabe down to 9 in no time. Watanabe had little of substance, and was potentially facing down a pair of Raging Ravines, with two Path's already spent. A Bituminous Blast swatted aside a Wall, finding a Bloodbraid Elf and a Sprouting Thrinax, and all it took was a single Ravine activation to send them to game three.

Watanabe 1 – Liu 1

Game three started with the classic "Birds? Bolt it" opening, followed be the more modern Thrinax, Wall of Omens standoff. Jace, the Mind Sculptor bounced the Thrinax, but Liu summoned a Bloodbraid Elf, netting a Putrid Leech. Watanabe gave it some thought, before Brainstorming with Jace and summoning a Vengevine. Liu dropped a Consuming Vapors on Watanabe, hitting the Wall. Liu sent in his team, losing the Elf to a Path, and letting the Leech go in the face of the Vengevine. Watanabe again tanked, receiving a shoulder-tap from the judge about his pace of play. He Brainstormed again with Jace, and summoned a Noble Hierarch, attacking for 5 with his Vengevine. The second half of the Vapors hit the Hierarch, putting Liu up to 18. With two mana open, Liu summoned a Siege-Gang, and passed the turn back, shooting down Jace during Watanabe's upkeep. Watanabe again sent in his Vengevine, crushing one of the Goblins, before kicking a Sphinx of Lost Truths.

Liu pointed a Bituminous Blast at the Sphinx, spinning up a Maelstrom Pulse for the Vengevine. He threw a Goblin at the Sphinx to finish it off, and attacked with the Commander to drop Watanabe to 18. Watanabe untapped, summoned a Wall of Omens and another Vengevine, resurrecting the first one and attacking Liu down to 10. Liu summoned a Goblin Ruinblaster, but was now well and truly on defense. Watanabe's Vengevines spent less than half a second untapped as he sent them straight back into the fray. The Ruinblaster jumped in front of one, and the Commander threw it at Watanabe – the scores Watanabe: 16 Liu 6.

Liu pasted the Vengevines with another Pulse, and summoned a Sprouting Thrinax and a Putrid Leech. Knowing Watanabe would likely have them back any moment, he kept his Commander back. At the end of his turn, Watanabe Celestial Purged the Thrinax. He then untapped, and summoned a pair of Hierarchs. Once more into the red zone, and Liu was out for the count.

Yuuya Watanabe defeats Yuchen Liu 2-1 to advance to the semifinals.

Semifinals - Gerald Camangon vs Taufik Indrakesuma

by Ray "blisterguy" Walkinshaw

Taufik Indrakesuma and his Polymorph deck triumphed over Yuuta Takahashi's Jund deck in almost record time in the quarterfinals, while Gerald Camangon's Mythic Conscription deck took slightly longer to finish off Adrian Marasigan's Vengevine Naya. As the players perused each other's decklists, Indrakesuma let out a long "ooooh no," spying at matchup he wasn't looking forward to.

Indrakesuma mulliganed in game two, while Camangon lead with a pair of fetch lands, and a Sejiri Steppe, passing his first three turns without play. Indrakesuma had a first turn Khalni Garden, and an Everflowing Chalice for one on turn two. While Camangon may have been wary of Indrakesuma's third turn, all it yielded was a second Khalni Garden. The players continued to play draw-go. Something not unheard of for Indrakesuma's deck. But a little out of the ordinary for Camangon's. Indrakesuma summoned Jace to his side, and together they Brainstormed up a plan. Camangon finally summoned a Lotus Cobra, and with the help of a Misty Rainforest, it generated enough mana to cast an Oblivion Ring with three more mana open. Indrakesuma answered with a Negate, and Camangon wasn't tempted into tapping out, allowing the Jace/Indrakesuma brain trust to continue the brewing. Indrakesuma drew more cards, and passed it back with all of his mana available.

Indrakesuma's checkin' out the goods.

Camangon went for it, summoning a Sovereigns of Lost Alara and attacking with the Cobra, but Indrakesuma had an Unsummon. On Indrakesuma's turn, he aimed a Polymorph at one of his plants. With his one remaining white mana, Camangon tried to Path to Exile the plant, but Indrakesuma had the Deprive. Emrakul wasted no time entering play from the top of the deck, and Jace rounded out the turn by bouncing the Sovereigns. Camangon cast a Jace of his own to see if he could tempt Indrakesuma to tapping his last two Islands, but with Emrakul already in play, he was happy to let them cancel each other out. Camangon summoned a Lotus Cobra, and passed the turn back. Emrakul rumbled in and annihilated all but two lands and three of Camangon's life points. He untapped, found nothing, and offered the handshake.

Another Noble Hierarch helped Watanabe's Soldier token attack for 6 with the help of Elspeth's +3/+3 and flying ability. Watanabe then cast an Oblivion Ring to exile Nakada's Cobra. An Elspeth of Nakada's own sent both Planewalkers into the graveyard but Watanabe had another Elspeth on his following turn to help take another 6 off Nakada as Watanabe emptied his hand as he summoned a Birds of Paradise.

Nakada made his knight of Reliquary grow bigger as he searched up lands but the Knight could do little as Watanabe animated his Celestial Colonnade, pumped his soldier token with his Elspeth, and then attacked with his team. All Nakada could do was to animate his own Celestial Colonnade to trade Watanabe's, but he had to take another 4 from the Soldier token in the process. Nakada drew no answer as all he could do was watch as Watanabe animated his second Colonnade and pumped his Soldier token again to attack for the win.

Watanabe takes game one.

Nakada 0 – Watanabe 1

Nakada promptly chose to keep his opening 7 while Watanabe chose to send his back after he mulled over it for a while. Watanabe then agonized over his 6-card hand before he chose to take another mulligan to begrudgingly settle on a 5-card hand.

Watanabe chose to send his opening hand back twice and ended up with a 5-card hand to start his game again as Nakada chose to kept his opening 7. Nakada's first turn Hierarch led him to a second turn Knight of Reliquary while Watanabe played his own Noble Hierarch after Nakada's.

Watanabe chose to cast Jace, the Mind Sculptor, using the second ability to return the Knight back into Nakada's hand to stay alive but as Nakada's Baneslayer Angel killed Jace handily, and Nakada followed it up with double Knight of Reliquary which was enough to make Watanabe extend his hand to Nakada.

Nakada 2 – Watanabe 1

Finals - Naoki Nakada vs Taufik Indrakesuma

by Ray "blisterguy" Walkinshaw

Taufik Indrakesuma won the die roll and elected to play first, keeping his opening hand without much deliberation. Naoki Nakada on the other hand, mulled it over for a while, before finally keeping it (I tricked you with the use of "mulled" there, didn't I?)

Indrakesuma had green mana game two, with a turn one Khalni Garden. Nakada summoned a Birds of Paradise, a Lotus Cobra and another Birds, thanks to a quick spot of Celestial Colonnade and Lotus Cobra interactivity. Elspeth was Negated, and a Noble Hierarch sent the Cobra in for 3. On his fourth turn, Indrakesuma looked sideways at Nakada's untapped Birds and his plant, and instead summoned the Mind Sculptor, Brainstorming. Nakada played a Misty Rainforest, allowing him to hard-cast an Eldrazi Conscription on his Birds of Paradise. He sent the Birds at the Jace, and the Cobra at the face. Indrakesuma sacrificed Jace and the Plant to the Annihilating Birds, and took 2 from the Cobra. He calmly untapped and Unsummoned the Birds. Nakada attacked with his Colonnade and Cobra, Indrakesuma kicking an Into the Roil at the snake. On the following turn, Nakada replayed the Cobra, and played a land to also give him enough mana to attack with his Colonnade. With his opponent now completely tapped out, Indrakesuma played Khalni Garden and turned the plant into a 15/15 Tentacly Monstery thing. Nakada had no play on his turn, and Emrakul proceeded to eat every single one of the Bant player's lands. Nakada untapped, and played an Oblivion Ring, bowing his head and putting himself at Indraesuma's mercy. Indrakesuma allowed it, and Nakada breathed a huge sigh of relief, attacking him down to 7 with the Cobra. When Nakada ended his turn, Indrakesuma pointed an Into the Roil at the Ring, and the audience went wild.

Indrakesuma had the bounce all along.

Nakada 1 – Indrakesuma 1

Nakada started the decider with a second turn Knight of the Reliquary that attacked for 3 the following turn, but was joined by nothing further from the Japanese player. Indrakesuma once again lacked green mana, and when he went to Unsummon the Knight on its next attack, he was thwarted by an Emerge Unscathed. Nakada summoned a Lotus Cobra, and Negated Indrakesuma's Deprive, which at least allowed him to pick up his Halimar Depths to try and dig up some green. Nakada's graveyard was slowly filling up with fetch lands. While Indrakesuma Deprived a Sovereigns of Lost Alara, the Knight and Cobra dropping the Indonesian to a low 7 life. With Nakada tapped out, he Unsummoned the Knight, but still lacked any green mana. The Cobra whittled him down to 5 and was rejoined by the Knight, only to be Into the Roil'd end of turn. Indrakesuma Pondered and again chose to shuffle, rounding out his turn with a little more library manipulation from his Halimar Depths. The Cobra took him to 3 and Nakada resolved a Linvala, Keeper of Silence. Indrakesuma finally played a Khalni Garden, and once again turned the plant into an Emrakul. Nakada untapped, and slammed his Jace, the Mind Sculptor into play. He bounced the Eldrazi and turned his team sideways, and Indrakesuma offered his hand in congratulations.